Top 300 Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Nick Mariano's Rest-of-Season Outlooks for Matt McLain, Alek Manoah, Jarren Duran, more

Welcome back, RotoBallers! The first half of the 2023 season is officially in the books. It's time for another rankings check-in. Below is another edition of Nick Mariano's updated 2023 fantasy baseball rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 mixed leagues) as of July 13, 2023. These rankings are being released in July and are […]

Fantasy Baseball Players Set For Second-Half Bouncebacks

The first half of the 2023 MLB season presented multiple new rules for players to become accustomed and as a result, the game has slightly changed. Stolen bases have significantly spiked, batting average is up, and many starting pitchers are struggling thanks to the limitations of "the shift." Nevertheless, there is a reason sayings like […]

Bo Bichette Leading The American League In Hits

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is the current hits leader in the American League with 122. The 25-year-old has put together a sensational first half of the season, slashing .317/.346/.496 with 15 home runs, 52 RBI, and three stolen bases over 385 at-bats. The power and RBI are around what we have come to […]

Trea Turner Looking To Bounce Back In Second Half

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner is looking to bounce back from a disappointing first half of the season ahead of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres at home. To say that Turner's Phillies debut has been a letdown so far would be an understatement. He owns a rough .247/.299/.389 batting line with 10 […]

Cleveland Guardians Fantasy Baseball Outlook - Are Guardians Hitters Due for a Big Second Half?

It's safe to say that the Cleveland Guardians offense was not touted as one of the highest-scoring groups in the league heading into the 2023 fantasy baseball season. But with superstar Jose Ramirez leading the way, and high-upside contributors like Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, Josh Bell, Josh Naylor, and Amed Rosario I don't think anyone […]

Do These Prospects Matter for Fantasy Baseball? Jordan Lawlar, Jackson Merrill, Tink Hence, Noelvi Marte, and more

The National League shut out the American League in the 2023 Futures Game with a 5-0 victory on Saturday. With many concerned about the pitching in the game, Futures Game arms limited the game to a total of five runs, 11 hits, and struck out 22 combined. This week will be our second week of […]

Addison Barger May Need Offseason Surgery

Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Addison Barger (elbow) returned to Triple-A Buffalo on June 21 and has a home run, three doubles and seven walks in 12 games for the Bisons since then, but he may require offseason elbow surgery. He's played in eight games in the field since returning from his injury -- three […]

Orelvis Martinez Expected To Be Promoted To Triple-A

Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Orelvis Martinez, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is expected to be promoted from Double-A New Hampshire to Triple-A Buffalo in the coming days. After making pitch recognition and swing decisions a focal point after he hit just .203 with 30 home runs a year ago at New […]

Jackson Merrill - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jackson Merrill, SS, San Diego Padres ANALYSIS: Another member of the elite 2021 prep shortstop class, Jackson Merrill was selected 27th overall by the Padres out of high school in Maryland. He showed well in his pro debut and received rave reviews at Fall Instructs coming into his first full season. Injuries prevented a […]

Noelvi Marte - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Noelvi Marte, 3B/SS, Cincinnati Reds ANALYSIS: The Seattle Mariners signed Noelvi Marte in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He had a huge debut in the DSL, hitting .309/.371/.512 with nine homers and 17 steals in 65 games. After the pandemic, the 19-year-old Marte pushed across the Mariners' A-ball levels in 2021, hitting .273/.366/.460 […]

Jordan Lawlar - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Outlook and Analysis

PROSPECT: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks ANALYSIS: Jordan Lawlar was part of the impressive 2021 high school shortstops, drafted sixth overall by Arizona out of high school in Texas. His performance in Fall Instructs immediately had people talking, and he jumped into the top 50 of all prospects. In 2022, Lawlar was incredibly impressive as […]

Players Association Pushing For Extended Pitch Clock In Playoffs

The Major League Baseball Players Association wants the league to soften the pitch-timer rule as the 2023 season approaches the playoffs, but commissioner Rob Manfred is leaning toward keeping the current timer in place. "I don't think there are too many folks that want to have a new rule affect a game in a pennant […]

Fantasy Baseball Injury Reports for Hitters - Updates for Luis Robert Jr., Yordan Alvarez, Xander Bogaerts, Jose Altuve, Tommy Pham

The fantasy baseball season has come to a pause as the MLB All-Star break wraps up, but there are still plenty of injury headlines to keep up with. The break from action could allow several players to return from injury and become factors in fantasy lineups. Let's take a look at injured hitters including Luis […]

Junior Caminero Remains A Top-Tier Prospect

Tampa Bay Rays infield prospect Junior Caminero will enter the second half after a very strong first half of the season for Double-A Montgomery. The 20-year-old out of the Dominican Republic has done nothing but perform since being acquired from the Guardians in 2021 and has been an absolute machine for Montgomery this season. On […]

Ronny Mauricio Enters Second Half On High Note

New York Mets shortstop prospect Ronny Mauricio enters the second half of the season on a high note with a .302 batting average to go along with 12 homers, 47 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 321 at-bats for Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio, 22, has been a hot topic this season, but the Mets have yet […]

Xavier Edwards Tearing Up Triple-A

Miami Marlins infield prospect Xavier Edwards was acquired from the Rays last November, but his contributions to the big-league club have been limited due to a crowded roster. As a result, Edwards has spent most of 2023 playing at (and tearing up) the Triple-A level. The switch-hitter has developed a tremendous approach at the plate, […]

Jackson Merrill Could Be Nearing A Promotion To Double-A

San Diego Padres shortstop prospect Jackson Merrill has handled himself well this year at High-A Fort Wayne and could be nearing a promotion to Double-A if he keeps it up. He's currently slashing .280/.318/.444 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, two triples, 33 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 50 runs scored in 300 plate appearances […]

Luisangel Acuna Impressing At Double-A

Texas Rangers middle-infield prospect Luisangel Acuna, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization's No. 3 prospect, has really impressed so far in 72 games (343 plate appearances) at Double-A Frisco this year. Acuna is currently slashing .315/.371/.447 with an .818 OPS, six home runs, 19 doubles, two triples, 45 RBI, 34 stolen bases […]

Brayan Rocchio Extends Hitting Streak To Nine Games

Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Brayan Rocchio hit safely again on Sunday, securing a nine-game hitting streak heading into the All-Star break. The switch-hitter is now slashing .289/.381/.414 through 76 games with Triple-A Columbus this season. Rocchio's 50-grade power has not been fully realized at the Triple-A level, going yard just twice thus far this season […]

Niko Goodrum Signs With Lotte Giants In KBO

The Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization signed free-agent infielder Niko Goodrum to a $400,000 deal on Tuesday. Goodrum will be replacing Zach Reks, who has been out with a knee injury since mid-May. The 31-year-old Goodrum has played in 402 major-league games with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros since 2017. […]

Fernando Tatis Jr. Posts Impressive First Half

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. put together an impressive first half of the 2023 season. Despite missing 20 games to start the year, Tatis hit .288 with 16 homers, 52 runs, 44 RBI, and 16 steals across 295 at-bats. He wrapped up the first half on a hot streak, hitting .387 with a […]

Matt McLain Impressing In First MLB Season

Cincinnati Reds rookie shortstop Matt McLain has only played in 50 games in his first big-league season this year, but he's been very impressive so far for the first-place Reds. Heading into this week's All-Star break, he's slashing .301/.366/.512 with an .878 OPS, seven home runs, 16 doubles, four triples, 29 RBI, seven stolen bases […]

Sean Casey To Serve As Yankees' New Hitting Coach

Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sean Casey will be the New York Yankees' next hitting coach, according to sources. It's expected that Casey will fill the role for the rest of the season so he can better decide if it's a position that he would like to remain in moving forward. The 49-year-old has been […]

Trevor Story Throwing From 160-170 Feet

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (elbow) is getting closer to making his 2023 debut for the Red Sox and has been throwing from 160-170 feet. Story hasn't played yet this year due to an internal-bracing procedure he had on his right elbow in January. He will continue to work out at Fenway Park over […]

Xander Bogaerts Receives Cortisone Shot Heading Into Break

San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts received a planned cortisone shot in his left wrist after Sunday's game against the New York Mets. Bogaerts missed a few games in early June with a wrist injury and this appears to be the last step in his recovery process, even though he has managed to play through […]

Astros Select Brice Matthews With 28th Pick

The Houston Astros have selected shortstop Brice Matthews with the 28th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. A Nebraska product, Matthews was ranked as the 57th-best draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, but the Astros evidently like what they see in the 21-year-old and perhaps could try to sign him below slot value. Matthews runs […]

Aidan Miller Selected By Phillies 27th Overall

The Philadelphia Phillies have selected shortstop Aidan Miller with the 27th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Mitchell (FL) product was MLB Pipeline's No. 13 draft prospect, so the fact that he fell this far has to be a delight for the Phillies. Miller is a talented right-handed hitter with great strength and bat […]

George Lombard Jr. Selected 26th By Yankees

The New York Yankees have selected shortstop George Lombard Jr. with the 26th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Gulliver Prep (FL) product has plenty of pop and runs fairly well, giving him the potential to deliver a lot of extra-base hits. Defensively, he has enough arm strength to play third base, but […]

Mariners Select Colt Emerson With The No. 22 Overall Pick

With the draft held in Seattle during All-Star weekend, the Seattle Mariners drew the biggest cheer as they made the 22nd overall selection, their first of five on the first night. With the pick, they selected Ohio high school shortstop Colt Emerson. Emerson becomes the first Ohio high school position player drafted in the first […]

Arjun Nimmala Selected 20th Overall By Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have selected shortstop Arjun Nimmala with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Strawberry Crest (FL) product is arguably the best prep shortstop in the draft, so the Jays have to be thrilled that he fell to the back half of the first round. The toolsy 17-year-old controls […]